Page 124 of Storm of Bells
‘Y-yes! Um…yes, My Lady!’ Mrs Jenkins eyedthe three young women in their sparkly, scanty dresses. Judgingfrom her expression, she had a few theories of her own as to wherethey had ‘lost’ their clothes—and while it might involve a lot ofbreeding, none of it would have been good by any moral standards.‘I see. Very well…ladies. Step this way, please.’
She led us to a back room of the shop where,surrounded by stacks of clothing and racks of dresses, stood alittle stool. Already familiar with this instrument of torture frommy wedding dress fitting, I hurriedly retreated to the corner. Amy,Cora and Jenny on the other hand, cautiously approached thishallowed idol of fashion, as if they could hardly believe theireyes.
Which they probably couldn’t, I suddenlyrealized.
Women like them, born into poverty, with fewcoins in their pocket and even fewer choices, were probably nevereven allowed to enter a store like this, let alone purchaseanything. I had seen more than one ‘respectable’ business ownerthrow a lady of the night out on her ears, even if she had money topay. Strange how ‘respectable’ people always seemed to have a lotmore respect for their own ego than for other people.
I would have done something long ago. I wouldhave helped Amy, except…
She might not have money.
She might not have choices.
But she had one thing in spades. Pride.
Yet now…now her eyes were suddenly sparklingat the sight in front of her. Now the hard-headed, fiery woman waslooking around the little village shop, her face shining with thesimple wonder of a little girl. Maybe…just maybe…
‘Gorblimey!’ Cora turned from left to right,gaping at all the ribbons, bonnets and pretty dresses—and most, ofall, at the lack of people staring at her with disgust. ‘Is disreal?’
‘Aye.’ Amy took hold of her arm. ‘But don’tye overdo it, do ye hear?’
I felt a tug at my heart. Amy gazed up at theshop displays with so much longing, so much unfathomable desirefor…
What exactly?
I wasn’t sure.
But maybe it wasn’t about her wantinganything in particular. Maybe it was that she just, for once in herlife, wantedsomethingfromsomeone, without havingto pay a high price in return.
A devilish plan popped into my head.
‘Ella? Adaira?’ Lowering my voice, I grabbedmy two co-conspirators-to-be by the arms, and pulled them closer.‘You two know you are like sisters to me, don’t you?’
‘Iamyour sister,’ Ella pointedout.
Good point.
‘Which makes it even easier for you to belike a sister to me, now doesn’t it? But that’s not my point. WhatI meant to say is, you know I love you two to death and would doanything for you, right?’
‘Of course!’ Ella said.
‘I hadn’t known so far, but now that I know,I’ll make sure to remember.’ Adaira grinned. ‘Considering whomyou’re marrying, it’ll come in handy for my next eighty or sobirthdays.’
‘This is serious! Will you listen?’
‘Oh. Right, yes.’
‘Ella…do you remember how I offered to letyou be my maid of honour?’
‘You mean when I was busy dying from cholera?Yes, I seem to remember that.’
I glanced over at Amy, who was now gazing ata white dress with a wistful look in her eyes. Leaning over toElla, I lowered my voice.
‘Would you be terribly upset with me if youhad to share the role?’
Two minutes of whispered conversation later,I wandered over to Amy, who was still staring at the white dresswith yearning. The moment she noticed me, the expression vanished,and was replaced with a familiar grin. ‘Good God! Don’t tell meye’ll ‘ave to let yourself be poked ‘n’ prodded for one ofdose?’
‘Actually, no.’ I shook my head. ‘I alreadygot poked and prodded. But my maid of honour will.’
